2025-2026 Branch Leaders

Executive Committee

President

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.      

President Elect

Martha Steele

Vice President Membership

Debbi Sochia                        

Vice President Programs

Martha Steele             

Secretary

Debbi Sochia    

Treasurer

Sharon Parson

Parliamentarian

Vacant

Standing Committees

Public Policy

Pat Sanford

Finance/Budget

Sharon Parson

Scholarships/NCCWSL/CU

Jeanette Pierce

AAUW Funds

Vacant

DEI

Vacant

STEM

Vacant

Governance

Jeanette Pierce

Appointed Positions

Membership Outreach

Adrien Frank

Community Coordinator

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.

Reservations

Martha Steele

Publicity

Michelle Burk

Historian

Rachel Skelley

Communications

Malinda Gaul

MARCH MEETING

March 7, 2026, 11:30 am

At our March 7th meeting, we will hear from Jill Torbert, President of the San Antonio League of Women Voters. Leading up to the primary election, the League sponsored an educational initiative on the importance of primary elections. She’ll report to us on this initiative, and report on the successful campaign to shift city elections from May to November, when citizens are more engaged in elections.

Jill Torbert had a career as a social worker and paralegal, before going to law school. She practiced law for more than 30 years, including clerking for a Federal District Judge and Federal Magistrate Judge, solo practice, and 17 years with the District Attorney's Office - Civil Division.

Since retiring, she has become a docent at SAMA and gotten involved in the League of Women Voters where she has served on the board since 2019 and as president since June 2025.

She has served as president of several organizations, including the Monte Vista Historical Association, Landa Gardens Conservancy, and the Bexar County Women's Bar Association.

Our meeting will be at the usual time, 11:30 a.m., at La Madeleine, 722 NW Loop 410, Suite 201. This is the same location that was the site of our November meeting. But instead of ordering a buffet for the group, each member will go through the serving line and will pay individually.

Also at this meeting, Malinda Gaul will hold the annual Champagne and Chocolate scholarship fundraiser. Bring cash or checks to score a bar of chocolate or a bottle of champagne or both!

We’re encouraging all members to attend the Can We Talk? dinner on March 24 (see the flyer in this newsletter), so a less expensive lunch that you select yourself will be easier on your budget, and may inspire you to spend the money on Can We Talk? As usual, the topic to be discussed at Can We Talk? is timely—housing, and the panel is well-versed.

We hope to see you at both events—our March meeting and the semi-annual Can We Talk? dinner. March is Women’s History Month, so plan for a little extra support for women this month.

Meeting

Saturday, March 7, 11:30 a.m.

La Madeleine

722 NW Loop 410, Suite 201

Select your own meal and pay individually.

Inform your cashier that you are attending the AAUW Meeting,

so your purchase will count against our deposit.

A casual dining room calls for casual clothes.

Wear your comfortable clothes.

If you have any questions call Martha Steele, 832-425-7477.

We have received many outstanding applications

for textbook

scholarships and we need your support.

Chocolate and Champagne Fundraiser

 for Textbook Scholarships

$25 Chocolate

$50 Chocolate and Champagne

$100 Chocolate, Champagne, and Surprise!

You may participate at the March 7 luncheon

or

by mailing your check

made payable to AAUW SA to:

AAUW San Antonio

P.O. Box 460825  

San Antonio, TX 78246-0825

or

 by Zelle payment: Click the bill pay tab in your bank account and select Zelle. 

Use the email aauwsatx@gmail.com to send money.

In the memo field identify the payment: Chocolate and Champagne.

Email Malinda Gaul when you have paid and let her know

where to deliver the items: mgaul@satx.rr.com

If you do not want the items, let her know.

League of Women Voters

Social Media Campaign

The League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area (LWVSA), along with 100 partner organizations, is leading its first social media campaign to encourage voter participation. In an effort to increase voter turn-out for early voting, Feb. 17-27, and primary election day, Mar. 3, the League is inviting groups and individuals to help broadcast the Let’s Go Vote campaign by using ready made content, and graphics by local artists, and sister duo, Manola and Maria Ramirez.

"As San Antonio artists, we are happy to contribute our work to the League’s efforts to uplift voter participation. Our hope is that these illustrations spark pride, curiosity, and a renewed commitment to showing up for our community at the polls,” share Manola and Maria Ramirez. Public art by these sisters has already adorned numerous locations across San Antonio, now they bring that physical art to digital form to help get people out to vote.

The League is offering organizations and individuals the tools to become voter advocates to their own networks and communities. The social media kit they provide includes links to five different locally unique graphics (one example is above), six copy options, and instructions. “Voting is important and the Let’s Go Vote campaign is truly a community effort. Everyone is getting involved, even our Youth Advisory Board has helped to make sure messaging connects with young audiences,” explained Jill Torbert, LWVSA President.

Access the Let’s Go Vote social media kit here or email socialmedia@lwvsa.org.

Take Time to Make Time

With so much to do and so little time, we are challenged to take time to make time. A tongue twister? Maybe so, but so much more.

The midterm elections are looming as you read this. AAUW, AAUW TX, and AAUW San Antonio have worked for months to get out the vote. We have national and local partnerships with the League of Women Voters. Together, and with the National Council of Jewish Women San Antonio (NCJW), we sponsored a Meet and Greet for the judicial candidates running for judgeships, justices of the peace, and more. This is but one example of the work we’ve done locally to raise awareness and increase action. The papers are filled with endorsements and list candidates’ information and qualifications. It’s impossible to turn on the television without seeing conflicting ads touting candidates with very different viewpoints. Some are visionaries working for a world where people are united behind truth and democracy. Others focus on tearing down our nation’s founding values and eradicating human rights that we benefitted from for half a century or more.

Where does this leave us? Typically, only 14 per cent of registered voters vote during midterm elections. This makes every vote in the midterm elections more powerful. As I write this, I fervently hope that the midterm elections send a resounding message that we the people want our values and country back. We want a civilized society. We want the government to disseminate information that is accurate, fact-based, and timely. We want an end to having masked thugs in the streets of American cities. We want free and fair elections. We want all people to be valued and to have government dollars spent on services and infrastructure.

Hopefully, the midterms have the effect we are hoping for here and around the country. Whether they do or not, now is the time for us to take time to make time to act. National elections are three years away and we need massive, united support to reclaim and sustain our desired way of life. Your AAUW membership and advocacy matter.

Read the articles in our branch newsletters that tell what national does. I find that national is one of the most accurate sources of national news and that the explanations it provides helps me understand proposed legislation better than other news sources.

Go to the AAUW website: https://www.aauw.org  You will find a myriad of resources and information.

AAUW TX sends us Constant Contact action alerts that the AAUW TX Public Policy Committee provides so we can easily contact legislators and supply them with information and requests for them to vote for AAUW priorities. Often action is only a click away.



AAUW TX conducted a survey of members statewide to determine our priorities for the coming year and the next legislative session. Here, not in specific order, are the top five.

• Voting rights
• Women’s health
• Civil rights
• Economic security
• Education, K-12 and higher ed 

Be aware that the Texas legislature is working to:

• have Christian religious instruction part of every Texas classroom. This is in direct defiance of the Constitution’s separation of church and state.
• continue to push vouchers for private schools, to stagnate increased funding to public schools, and to prevent vouchers from going to Muslim schools.
• ban books that have long been considered classics.
• provide a statewide literary works list for English Language Arts to be taught in each grade level. The Texas Library Association and more oppose this.

Texas Legislature Online, https://capitol.texas.gov is the comprehensive, official, and free public website for monitoring the legislative process in Texas. It covers the current legislature, with archives for previous sessions, and provides tools to identify local representatives.

• Bill tracking and search
• Personalized Alerts
• Legislative Meetings and calendars, live broadcasts

Branch elections will be held at our April meeting where scholarships will also be awarded. It is beneficial for the young women attending to learn about the organization giving them support. 

• Attend
• Vote
• Talk with the scholarship winners about their goals and about serving their community.



The new AAUW SA officers will begin their terms of office in July. They will hold a summer meeting to plan for the coming year. A theme will be selected that the program committee will design programs around. Public Policy priorities play a large role in this by keeping us aligned with national and state priorities and guiding us to impactful action.

Key to taking time to make time is knowing what we value and what our resources are, assessing our time and skills, and committing to step up and act. Now is that time. Take the time to make your time count.

Pat Sanford

AAUW SA Public Policy Chair

AAUW TX Public Policy Committee  

Membership Matters! 

YOU Matter!

Are you not getting our online newsletters? 

Click this link to resubscribe:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/32IYN60

Ever considered gifting one of your friends, colleagues or fellow AAUW members the sweetest gift of all? Membership! The nicest gift of all is the gift of membership with a group of women who champion gender equity by funding education for women. Gift someone you know a Membership to AAUW! Know someone with a birthday coming up? Or maybe want to surprise a friend by renewing their membership? Think JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion)!

Renew Your Membership

Dues are $103

How this Breaks Down:

National Dues: $74

AAUW Texas: $13

San Antonio Branch $ 16

Total: $103

WHY: Member dues are an important funding source for AAUW. Costs have increased annually, but AAUW has not raised the amount of dues for many years. Our dues helps fund our work such as:

• Education and Advocacy: Our dues help support AAUW's Public Policy and member advocacy programs which defend higher education and rights for women on campus.

• Member Trainings: Regular virtual member gatherings and training programs which provide education and engagement on relevant topics.

• Member Engagement: such as Archives Corps, Lobby Corps, and national committees, as well as coordinating member advocacy through our 2-minute activist.

• Real-Time Support: members can receive daily assistance through the Connect Team.

You can pay in a variety of ways:

 Online: https://www.aauw.org/ (you will have to have made an account)

With Zelle: Zelle payment: Click the Zelle tab in your bank account.  

Use the email aauwsatx@gmail.com to send money.

In the memo field identify the payment: AAUW

 Or by check: Checks made out to AAUW-SA

Mail to: AAUW SAN ANTONIO

P.O. Box 460825

San Antonio, TX 78246-0825



 Call/text/email Debbi Sochia, Membership Vice-President for assistance.

dsochia@att.net

(210) 218-2675

We had a great time Painting with a Twist at the February Meeting!

AAUW Moviegoers (Let’s All Go to the Movies!)

Moviegoers! We meet on the last Sunday of each month (unless I miscalculate how many days are in each month and then I pinch hit, lol). I send out an email with a list of currently showing movies to vote on and then let everyone know the winning movie and location. Please join us! All are welcome! 

Our next movie is scheduled for Sunday, March 29!

Sometimes we also have some EXTRA outings (as in the case of seeing the Met's Cinderella a few Saturdays ago. Thank you Adrien for getting the information for us to go!)

Call/text/email Debbi Sochia

dsochia@att.net

210-218-2675

Potential New Interest Group

I’m considering putting together an Interest Group focused on Service Opportunities. Ideas include going to elementary schools to read to the children, retirement homes to play bingo with the residents, giving them manicures, going to the Bulverde Animal Defense League to play with the cats and walk the dogs. These are just ideas. 

Would anyone be interested in an interest group like this? ~Debbi Sochia

What Does AAUW National Do?

Policy Advocacy: Focuses on national issues affecting women and girls, such as education equity, pay equity, and reproductive rights.

o   We coordinate our Public Policy Committees, participate in coalition work and partner with other prominent National organizations to raise awareness about our policy priorities (such as the YWCA for our Gen Z Town Hall in Philadelphia).

Subject Matter Expertise: We have historically produced in-depth studies on topics like the gender pay gap and women in leadership roles.

o   While we haven't produced reports recently due to limited funding - we have done high level analysis of recently released pay gap data. We are frequently asked to comment on topics related to pay equity, student loan debt and other issues related to gender equity. You can see our recently updated page on Latinas and the pay gap for example, here: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/latinas-and-the-pay-gap/

o   We have tens of thousands of social media followers across all platforms and have well over 1 million website viewers - ensuring that our brand remains prominent and relevant. CEO Gloria Blackwell has been invited to White House events on at least three occasions recently.

o   On a Global level - Gloria is AAUW's representative to the UN - and our work in this capacity provides great reputational value related to global gender equity work.

Salary Negotiation and Financial Literacy Training: Offers training and resources for women to develop skills to be financially empowered.

o   In particular our Work Smart, Start Smart and Money Smart trainings provide valuable resources and tools for women to become economically empowered. Nationally we work with organizations such as the HBCU Career Center, Tri Delta, Coca Cola Foundation, Finra Foundation, SAGE and others to bring these trainings to thousands of women across the country. These trainings were developed and are updated and managed by the National office. They have been independently evaluated by two separate entitles and continually receive very high ratings from participants.

Fellowships & Grants: We award and administer over $6 million in fellowships and grants each year to hundreds of women in the US and Internationally. 

o   We also connect our members and branches to these awardees and alumnae and have an Alumnae Relations team charged with growing and maintaining relationships with our thousands of distinguished Alumnae.

Membership Services: Provides support and resources for local branches and members, including access to national networks and events.

o   We host all aauw.net websites, process dues, support 990 filings, and maintain our history and globally recognized brand. Without AAUW National - AAUW branches would instead be independently organized entities who would not be networked with one another or have the ability to utilize the AAUW name. 

In essence, while AAUW National sets the strategic direction and focuses on broader issues, local branches implement programs and initiatives that directly benefit their local communities. Together, our aim is to work towards the common goal of advancing gender equity.

Follow AAUW San Antonio on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/aauw.sanantonio